


Fox

by Spooky66



Series: Prompts [39]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Fox - Freeform, Gen, Motherhood, prompts, teena mulder - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 14:31:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11853537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spooky66/pseuds/Spooky66
Summary: 27.   “I’m not strong or brave, but I will fight for you”





	Fox

**Author's Note:**

> Teena is not a character that is often explored. Yes she has her faults. I think she was probably cold and had poor judgment but I think she truly loved her son. I've also always wanted some kind of explanation for Mulder's weird ass name so I shifted through Jewish folklore till I found one I liked!

Teena Mulder held her hand to her swelled belly as her baby kicked again. He’d been active lately. She didn’t know for sure that it was a boy but she felt it deep down. Her mother had confirmed this feeling when she’d visited the week before and rambled in a mix of Yiddish and English about the blessings of a son. 

Teena didn’t really have a preference; she just wanted a healthy baby. It seemed like a simple request but Teena felt powers beyond her control already moving against her son. Three weeks earlier she’d arrived early at a doctor appointment only to see Christopher Spender leaving the building, lighting up a cigarette on his way. She’d ducked down when he finally drove by and she didn’t stay for her appointment. 

Bill didn’t know her reasons for changing doctors and chalked it up to hormones; Teena didn’t correct him. Her affair with Christopher had been on and off since they met. Where Bill was closed off, Christopher was passionate. Where Bill was predictable, Christopher was a mystery. Where Bill was safe, Christopher was dangerous. 

The way he spoke to her made her feel warm and he knew what to do in bed. Teena stroked her belly again trying to calm the restless baby inside. She was reasonably sure the child was Christopher’s. This disturbed her because while she’d slept with Christopher she didn’t trust him. 

Part of what she found attractive about him was how dangerous he was. She’d lived her whole life by the rules and he was offering her a little bit of excitement. While she didn’t know a lot about Bill and Christopher’s work she knew enough to know that she didn’t want that man involved in her sons life. 

Every day that past the uneasy feeling that had taken hold of her since she realized she was pregnant grew worse. She feared for her son’s life. There were so many things she’d never be able to protect him from. Deep inside she knew that Christopher wouldn’t let it go. She knew that he’d be back haunting the corners of her son’s life and the thought frightened her.

She cradled her belly and felt a little foot kick in response. She was only a month away from giving birth but she had no name for her son. Her mother had provided a long list of names but none of them seemed right. When she asked Bill he waved her off distractedly. 

“I’ll find a perfect name for you.” She whispered. 

Teena began to walk around the house looking for inspiration. She’d gone through the baby book names weeks ago and still found nothing. 

She spied a pile of old books that her mother had left her sat on the coffee table. Teena began to look through one she recognized from when she was a child. One colorful illustration caught her eye. It was an old Jewish folktale that she’d heard growing up. 

“The Fox and the Angel of Death”   
In the story God sends the Angel of Death to earth to make sure that each animal on land has a counterpart under the water. When the Angel went to earth he took one animal of each species and threw them into the water. The fox saw what was happening and knew he was next. When the Angel came upon the fox he found the fox crying saying that his brother had fallen into the water already. The Angel followed the fox to the water where he saw the fox’s reflection in the water. Believing there was already a fox in the water the Angel left. More stories followed that praised the fox’s cunning and wisdom. In each story the small animal came close to death but made it out safely. 

Teena’s heart clenched in her chest. This was the name for her son. Maybe, just like the fox in the stories her own Fox would be wise and cunning. 

“Fox?” She said aloud to her belly.  
The baby hiccupped in response and she smiled.   
“You like that name?” She felt a flutter of movement beneath her hand, “May you be strong and smart.”  
“I know I can’t fight every battle for you, but I’ll try. I’m not strong or brave, but I will fight for you” Teena whispered to her son praying that she’d have the strength.


End file.
